2015-2016 annual report - indigenous tourism bc · 2019-05-01 · 4 2015-2016 annual report 19....

2015-2016 Annual ReportAboriginal Tourism Association of BCThe Next Phase – Year 4 • November 2016

The Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC acknowledges the funding contribution from Destination BC, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development and Western Economic Diversification Canada.

Haida Heritage Centre at Kay Llnagaay , Haida Gwaii BC

2015-2016 ANNuAl REpoRT2

Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC 3

Table of Contents

About Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia 5Board of Directors 6

Chair’s Message 7

Key Performance Indicators 8

Training and Product Development 9

1. Ruby Creek Expansion 9

2. Council of the Haida Nation Tourism 9

3. Xeni Gwet’in First Nation 9

4. Nisga’a Lisims Government 10

5. Ditidaht/West Coast Trail Comfort Camping 10

6. Lake Cowichan First Nation 11

7. West Coast Resorts 11

8. Rain Wellness Spa 11

9. Tsi’yanne Cultural Centre 12

10. Culture Shock Interactive Gallery 12

11. Northern Secwepemc Cultural Society 12

12. Khot- la-Cha Art Gallery 13

13. Copper Sun Gallery & Copper Sun Journeys 13

14. Lekwungen Cultural Centre 14

15. Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre 14

16. Haida Fishing Charters 14

17. Wya Point Resort 15

18. Great River Fishing Adventures 15


19. Aboriginal Ecotourism Training Program 15

20. Cheryl’s Trading Post 16

21. Spapium Little Prairie Farm 16

22. Eagle Eye Gifts 16

23. Musqueam Cultural Centre 17

24. T’it’q’et – P’egp’ig7lha Youth Project 17

25. Huu-ay-aht First Nation 17

Identify and Assess Business Opportunities 18

Host Community Forums & Meetings 18

Marketing 20Consumer and Online Marketing Summary 20

Travel Trade Summary 22

Travel Media Summary 24

Aboriginal Travel Services 26

Partnerships and Outreach 27Pacific Asia Indigenous Tourism Conference 27

Key Partnership Events 28

Gateway Strategy 29Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria 29

Authenticity Programs 30Authentic Indigenous Arts Classifications: 30


About the Aboriginal Tourism Association of British ColumbiaThe Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia (AtBC) is a non-profit, Stakeholder-based organization that is committed to growing and promoting a sustainable, culturally rich Aboriginal tourism industry.

A sustainable Aboriginal tourism sector with diverse products in communities in every region of the province is recognized as one of the major focuses for achieving the target set by the Premier to double tourism revenues in B.C. by 2015.

Through training, information resources, networking opportunities and co-operative marketing programs, AtBC is a one-stop resource for Aboriginal entrepreneurs and communities in British Columbia who are operating or looking to start a tourism business. AtBC works closely with tourism, business, education and government organizations to help B.C.‘s Aboriginal tourism businesses offer quality experiences and actively promotes these experiences to visitors and local residents.

Aboriginal Cultural Festival, Victoria BC

Goals• Improve awareness of Aboriginal tourism among Aboriginal

communities and entrepreneurs

• Support tourism-based development, human resources and economic growth and stability in Aboriginal communities

• Capitalize on key opportunities, such as festivals and events that will forward the development of Aboriginal cultural tourism

• Participate in market research and marketing promotion and advertising initiatives and activities that benefit the Aboriginal tourism industry

• Improve communication with Aboriginal tourism industry, keeping industry partners informed of important developments and AtBC’s plans and activities and providing them with opportunities to provide input to the association

Strategic PrioritiesOur key five-year strategic priorities are:

• Push for Market-Readiness

• Build and Strengthen Partnerships

• Focus on Online Marketing

• Focus on Key and Emerging Markets

• Focus on Authenticity and Quality Assurance

• Regional Approach


George Taylor Director at Large

Jordan Point Director at Large

James Cowpar Director at Large

Mike Willie Director at Large

Inez Cook Director at Large

Brenda Baptiste Director at Large, Chair

Lillian Hunt Co-Chair, Director representing the Vancouver Island region

Lori Simcox Treasurer, Director Representing the Vancouver Coast & Mountains region

Sharon Bond Secretary, Director representing the Thompson Okanagan region

Douglas Green Director representing the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region

Leslie Brown Director representing the Northern British Columbia region

AtBC Board of Directors


Chair’s Message

Tourism is the largest industry sector in British Columbia(BC) and we have to work more efficiently, and effectively with results in a fast paced digital world. The Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia (AtBC) is a world leader in the development of authentic Aboriginal cultural tourism experiences and is the official representative of the Aboriginal tourism sector in BC.

I want to acknowledge our Stakeholders, communities, First Nation Leadership Council and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, who continue to support AtBC as the designated organization representing Aboriginal tourism in BC and recognize the importance of tourism as a driver of economic development, growth and employment. We represent over 300 Aboriginal tourism businesses and First Nations communities across BC.

I’m pleased to invite you to review our results and activities of our 2015/2016 Aboriginal Tourism Action Plan. The past year has been very positive for AtBC, as we were able to focus on activities and align efforts to provide a better return on investment for our Stakeholders and Aboriginal tourism businesses. I would like to make a special mention to our government partners Destination British Columbia, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and Western Economic Diversification Canada for their continued investment to ensure the growth of Aboriginal tourism industry, generating over $50 million in tourism revenues annually. I extend my appreciation to my fellow board members for their commitment and tourism expertise to lead AtBC through a transformational year.

AtBC has an incredible team of passionate tourism and marketing experts promoting British Columbia as a top international choice for Aboriginal experiences. We’re always looking ahead at AtBC as our team will be unveiling our next Five Year Strategic Plan in 2016/2017. I look forward to seeing this work develop and flourish to ensure the future growth for authentic Aboriginal cultural tourism in 2016 and beyond. In 2017, we will be celebrating AtBC’s 20th anniversary, we look forward to continuing our work with all our partners.

Keep sharing. Our Story. Your Experience!

Sincerely,

Brenda Baptiste

Chair

Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia

8

April 1 to March 31, 2016: KPI Target KPI Achieved CommentsMArKeTIng:Travel TradeContracted Stakeholders by main Receptive Tour Operators

Increase 2015 inclusions by 20% Increase in experience inclusions: Jonview, Entrée Canada, CAL Travel, Globetrotter, Discover Holidays, CYTS Travel

exact percentage to be calculated once tariffs are finalized

Number of travel trade hosted on FAM tours

50 9 FAMs: 2 TOTA, 2 Vancouver, Coast & Mountains, 1 Kootenays, 4 Northern BC

3 of them also visited Vancouver, Coast & Mountains; we have yet to check with the RDMOs for supported FAMs (initiated & coordinated by RDMOs supported by AtBC). This number is not included.

Published Stakeholders in Tour Operators' 2016 brochures

Increase 2015 inclusions by 20% In progress We will send out a survey to tour operators later this year, but we received feedback from many indicating that they will be including more experiences for 2016.

Establish co-op campaigns in core market

Focus on Germany, China, US - one per market

Germany: (3) Dertour, Canusa and SK Touristik; China: (1) CTCTV Campaign

Aboriginal Tourism Experts 10 experts in each core market Will be launched in November 2015

Travel MediaStories / mentions in domestic markets 200 stories / mentions 40 stories published in Canada: e.g. CBC News,

Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, Victoria Times Colonist, CTV, WestJet Magazine, Business in Vancouver, Georgia Straight, and more.

Stories / mentions in core international markets

60 72 stories published internationally (incl. USA): e.g. Seattle Times, Fox TV, Forbes Asia, Matador Network, FVW Travel, Rough Guide to Canada, Be here, Travel Squire, and more.

Exceeded Target

Securing media sponsors and contests 2 in niche magazines Toque and Canoe

Media hosted on FAMs 60 30 media: 14 Vancouver Island, 17 Vancouver Coast & Mountains, 3 Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, 2 Kootenays, 6 Northern BC

Advertising value equivalency $750,000 $246,947 + 46,170,155 impressions

Consumer / Online MarketingVisitor Centre Initiative Staff in 10 key locations trained Hosted 3 webinars and trained a total of 33 visitor

centres and their staffTarget met

Website sessions (previously unique visits)

15% increase = 136,560 sessions 88,120 (48% increase over last year) Exceeded Target

Website conversion to Stakeholders' website

15% increase - 6,770 conversions Total 4,772: Partner Website Visits: 2,998; Social Media: 1,669; Email: 105

Website sessions from social posts 10,162 sessions 9,073 sessions

Facebook 37% increase = totalling 25,073 + 25% increase in engagement

20,837 followers + 66,327 stories (likes, shares, comments)

Twitter 29% increase = totalling 4,864 + people using #AboriginalBC

4,399 followers + 817 #AboriginalBC users

Instagram 338% increase = totalling 2,636 + people using #AboriginalBC

1,350 followers + 72 #AboriginalBC users

Email Database 10,000 email subscribers 9,262 subscribers - achieved through contests with NatGeo, CTV, Tyee and ACF contest

Aboriginal Travel Services

Sales volume 1.2M 1.3M Sales volumes continue to trend positively with modest growth fromAtBC packages and accommodation only sales

Meeting / conference commitments 25 28 Designated agency: Aboriginal Business Match, BC Elders Gathering, PAITC, MMIWomen family gathering 2016, FN Health Authority events

Supplier agreements 18 21 Key commissionable agreements negotiated with Airline, Hotel and Car rental partners

Aboriginal-theme packages 100 41 ATS direct bookings of AtBC marketed packages

ATS generated net revenue 90K 96K Combination of service fees and earned commissions (including package margins)

First Nations community / company commitments

85 74 Company / First Nations presentations for ATS commitments continue to materialize

First Nations Scholarships awarded in tourism & hospitality

4 2 The social enterprise aspect of ATS is the main driver of companies and communities wanting to support the education initative

Non Aboriginal themed package revenue sold

10K 6.4K Packages being marketed with ski / sun destinations and event specific options

Website sessions from social posts NEW 30% growth 625 sessions from social posts.

Website visitations 15K 8.2K Greater emphasis on partner click through

Email Database 5K 4.4K ATS' designation for conferences is key driver increased database

Sponsorship / Contest 10 8 ATS direct and NationTalk promotions

Product DevelopmentEngage with communities 76 76 Target met

Host Community Forums 10 10 Target met

Identify Support Tier 2 25 25 Target met

Tier 2 Conversion to Tier 3 25 25 Target met

Authentic Indigenous ArtisanArtisans joined program 50 75 plus Exceeded Target

Sellers / Galleries joined program Included in above 10 plus Exceeded Target

Key Performance Indicators


Training & Product DevelopmentPush for Market-Readiness (Tier 2-Tier 3)KPI: 25 Stakeholders Completed: 25

1. Ruby Creek ExpansionAtBC Program: Exploring Potential for Aboriginal Tourism in your Community; Feasibility/Business Planning

Strategy Alignment: Push for Market-Readiness

nature of Support:Skawahlook First Nation, located in Agassiz has been looking for new and innovative ways to expand their business, including the utilization of existing spaces owned by the community including a hall and commercial kitchen that could be maximized for profit with the potential of expanding food services to a First Nations food truck. AtBC worked with the General Manager to explore possibilities including supporting participation in Kickx – a program designed to assist business owners in fine-tuning their ideas by vetting business plans and marketing information with industry experts.

Outcome: While the program was a valuable way to gather information about market demands, the community was not ready to proceed to next steps with this business plan at this time.

2. Council of the Haida Nation TourismAtBC Program: Exploring the Potential for Aboriginal Tourism in Your Community; Building Support for Aboriginal Tourism; Skills Development for Entrepreneurs – Market-Ready Standards, AtBC Marketing Stakeholder Benefits

Strategy Alignment: Push for Market-Readiness; Regional Approach

nature of Support: The Council of the Haida Nation reached out to AtBC to support their tourism development on the Islands. First and foremost, the CHN Tourism Committee was looking for support in the development of a tourism strategy that included analysis of whether Haida Gwaii & the CHN could support a Destination Management strategy. This included extensive work with their consulting team to determine the best approach to this project including on Island partnerships with Haida & non-Haida operators.

As part of the strategy, AtBC supported a forum for interested Haida operators including workshops about AtBC’s services and marketing programs and what the overall marketplace is looking for in terms of Aboriginal tourism product offerings. The forum was well attended including about 20 operators from Skidegate, Tlell and Masset.

Outcome:

AtBC continues to support tourism growth on Haida Gwaii with existing and upcoming operators. This will include the development of packaging and sales tactics in the shoulder seasons in 2016-17.

3. Xeni Gwet’in First NationAtBC Program: Front Line Service Training


nature of Support:AtBC assisted the Xeni Gwet’ First Nation in in training for their culinary arts students who will go on to support the local tourism industry in remote BC with their skills. Training included a two-day intensive workshop with hands on guest/host role playing and skills development using the program “How May I Serve.”

“How may I Serve” is a hands on course that develops physical skills, industry vocabulary and customer service


protocols with participants through role playing and situational learning. This included learning customer service as it is important to back of house and examples of management scenarios (both staff to staff and staff to customer interactions). The training also included review of some common interview questions to prepare students for employment opportunities post training.

Outcome: Fourteen local participants completed the course with high recommendations for the course and the instructor.

4. Nisga’a Lisims GovernmentAtBC Program: Exploring the Potential of Aboriginal Tourism in Your Community; Feasibility Analysis; Business Planning; Skills Development for Entrepreneurs

Strategy Alignment: Push for Market-Readiness; Regional Approach

nature of Support:AtBC completed a site visit of Nisga’a territory, including the Legislature and each of the four Nisga’a Villages. This included meetings with each of the market-ready businesses as well as those that do not yet meet market ready standards. Each of the businesses was provided with information about market-ready standards and becoming an AtBC Stakeholder.

In addition to the site visits, AtBC met with leadership and economic development officers to discuss tourism opportunities for their respective Villages and the Nation. The Nation has been active in the development of their tourism plans as a means of generating local economy and has not only built new businesses but has also worked to acquire existing businesses within the territory. This work is ongoing.

AtBC also met with Destination BC and key Nisga’a consultants to assist in securing funds to support brand development for the region, as the Nation has determined key sites of interest for visitors to the territory to participate in upon arrival. These keys sites have been identified with Ministry of Transportation approved branded signage and maps available through Visitors Centres and at each stop.

Outcome:Nisga’a Lisims Government successfully secured Destination Marketing funding through Destination BC which will be utilized during the upcoming fiscal to further market Nisga’a territory to local and international travellers. AtBC will continue to work with entrepreneurs in the region to assist them in reaching market ready criteria in the future. An entrepreneur forum has been planned for the territory to assist business owners and operators (both individual owned and community owned businesses) in realizing this potential.

5. Ditidaht/West Coast Trail Comfort CampingAtBC Program: Business Planning; Skills Development for Entrepreneurs


nature of Support:AtBC completed a site visit to Ditidaht territory including both community and entrepreneur owned businesses. As a result of the visit, and an evaluation of the existing assets the West Coast Comfort Camp site became a marketing Stakeholder of AtBC.

In support of the other businesses owned by the community AtBC also supported a branding strategy to create a cohesive look for the community owned businesses. This was especially important to the community as they are along the West Coast Trail and felt that travellers were not always cognisant of the local territory.

Outcome: West Coast Trail Comfort Camping became a marketing Stakeholder with AtBC. Further development of the other products including website will be completed now that the brand strategy has been completed. Ditidaht has also added to their existing businesses so that they can generate more revenue for the upcoming season including rentals at the Windsurfer Park.


6. Lake Cowichan First NationAtBC Program: Business Planning; Skills Development for Entrepreneurs


nature of Support: As part of an overall economic development strategy including tourism, Lake Cowichan First Nation engaged in tourism training and business planning to develop a canoe tour business to showcase local culture to visitors. This included business planning for unguided tours as well to maximize profit during high tourist season including kayaks, paddle boards and water trikes.

Through a capacity building exercise, using the services of fellow Aboriginal tourism operator Talaysay Tours this was done through a series of workshops. Highlights of the work included cultural and eco-tourism training, human resource development, customer service skills development, sales and promotion tactics, important administration lessons, and risk management planning.

Outcome: Participants completed the training and the rentals are set to open for the 2016 operating season. This will offer local employment of the small community and will contribute to larger plans for development in the area in coming years.

7. West Coast ResortsAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs; Business Planning


nature of Support:AtBC welcomed three of the West Coast fishing resorts as market-ready Stakeholders introducing key management to market-ready standards and AtBC marketing Stakeholder benefits. While the fishing lodges were acquired as operational businesses, the resorts’ clientele has been declining over the years. Under Haico’s ownership, Westcoast Resorts was looking to attract new clientele interested not only in fishing but also in Haida culture, local wildlife and nature. AtBC supported the development of an online campaign to attract new clients to the fishing lodges.

Outcome: AtBC welcomed three new marketing Stakeholders to be promoted both domestically and internationally. While the repositioning of the Lodges and the overall clientele list will take time to rebuild the campaign served to increase email sign ups, track Facebook & search engine interactions and increase bookings.

8. Rain Wellness SpaAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs; Business Planning


nature of Support: Rain Wellness is a First Nations owned spa located in the Okanagan. The Spa requested assistance with developing marketing materials to better represent their First Nations ownership and product offering. This included assisting the business with understanding market-ready standards and AtBC Stakeholder benefits. Additionally, AtBC supported a brand strategy alignment and marketing collateral design including a website and marketing materials.

Outcome:Rain Wellness has become a Stakeholder with AtBC and has completed their website and branding projects.


9. Tsi’yanne Cultural CentreAtBC Program: Business Planning; Feasibility


nature of Support:AtBC has worked with Tsi’yanne Cultural Centre (TCC) to support business planning, market research and preliminary feasibility work for a cultural centre in Burns Lake. This included on site meetings with Cultural Centre society members and key consultant to discuss project scope and expectations and interviews with consultants and the project leads to contribute to an extensive SWOT analysis.

Outcome: A package of information was created to be used by the TCC in looking for partners and funders that will support the next phases of the Cultural Centre build. This included looking at potential spaces that could be used as a development site and estimated (preliminary) costs of building a centre in Burns Lake. TCC will present this project to leadership within the territory and potential project partners for future investment.

10. Culture Shock Interactive GalleryAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs

Strategy Alignment: Push for Market-Readiness, Focus on Online Marketing

nature of Support:Culture Shock Interactive Gallery has been in business for 10 years, and recognized that they were in need of a branding refresh. This included updating their rack card and website to be more current and have more appeal to consumers looking to book an Aboriginal experience in Alert Bay. In addition, the new branding allowed for better connections on social media.

Outcome:Culture Shock completed the brand exercise and maintained their market-ready standing with AtBC. New branding is being utilized on their website and on collateral distributed to consumers.

11. Northern Secwepemc Cultural SocietyAtBC Program: Feasibility Study; Business Planning


nature of Support:The Northern Secwepemc Cultural Society (NSCS) has been making progress since 2014 towards the society’s goal of building and operating a small cultural centre and museum in the South Cariboo. This centre would represent the culture of five Northern Secwepemc communities including Xat’súll, T’exelcemc, Stswecem’c Xatl’tem, Canim Lake and Esk’etemc. As part of this work, NSCS had finalized a business plan outlining projecting operational and infrastructure costs. With a series of partners, including AtBC, NSCS leveraged funds to proceed with architectural drawings for the proposed centre.

Once completed, the Cultural Centre will act as a gateway to the reserve lands of the member Bands, and among other things is intended to promote their entrepreneurial endeavours and tourist-related activities such as river rafting, the recently repatriated petroglyph rock at Churn Creek and the famous Xatsull village on the Fraser River. The scope of the proposed building and the outlying landscape will provide for exhibits of artifacts and archival photographs and demonstrations of native crafts and survival techniques.

Outcome:Architectural renderings were completed by McFarland Marceau Architects and included building requirements and cultural considerations for the site. These designs also included cost estimates for the project build – funding for the construction documentation phase had been applied for with hopes of proceeding to the next stage in fall of 2016.

“ “This project could not have been carried out without AtBC’s contribution for which our members are extremely grateful. We also appreciate your support and encouragement along the way.”

Graham Leslie, Secretary, Northern Secwepemc Cultural Society


12. Khot- la-Cha Art GalleryAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs

Strategy Alignment: Push for Market Readiness, Focus on Online Marketing

nature of Support:Khot-la-cha Gallery (KG) had an existing website that allowed limited ability to update product selection and for customers to pay online. KG wanted to shift the focus of their business to have an online store that would be more easily managed and that would be responsive to mobile and search engine. AtBC supported the redevelopment of their online store including solutions that were affordable and user friendly.

Outcome:KG has updated their website to be user friendly, easy to manage and easy to update. The new website is responsive and search engine friendly. Staff have been trained to manage and maintain the site and sales are expected to increase online in the upcoming season. AtBC will also be monitoring the success of this project to adapt similar practices to other online retailers looking to have increased traffic and sales online.

13. Copper Sun Gallery & Copper Sun JourneysAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs


nature of Support:The Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola has been working on the development of two tourism enterprises: Copper Sun Gallery is a local art gallery focused on Nuxalk made arts and crafts available for purchase by visitors and locals of Bella Coola where Copper Sun Journeys is a tour operation that leads guests on a tour of the local community including ancient petroglyph sites by community guides. The Gallery is used by the tour operation as a meeting point for the tours.

The community was looking for support in developing a website that would assist them in accurately representing the two product offerings independent of the band economic development site. This included support for the overall branding of the website and writing of copy that would reflect the unique experiences. Additionally, the Gallery reached out to the Authentic Indigenous Arts program to assist with the management and purchasing of inventory, the layout of the gallery to generate sales and increase awareness about Nuxalk artists.

Outcome: Copper Sun Gallery and Copper Sun Journeys became marketing Stakeholders with AtBC. Their “exit through the gift shop” strategy has been a great way to generate income and employment opportunities for local Nuxalk community members.


14. Lekwungen Cultural CentreAtBC Program: Business Planning; Feasibility Study


nature of Support:

AtBC participated in a “Dragon’s Den” style entrepreneur event in Lekwungen territory. As a result of this forum, a winner was selected based on the merit of their idea and as such, the Lekwungen Cultural Centre was born. AtBC worked with David Dick and Skwin’ang’eth Se’las Development Company to support business planning, market research and preliminary feasibility work for a cultural centre in the Victoria Harbour. This included interviews with consultants and the project leads to contribute to an extensive SWOT analysis prepared as part of the project.

Outcome: A package of information was created to be used by the Lekwungen Cultural Centre in looking for partners and funders that will support the next phases of the Cultural Centre build. This included looking at potential spaces that could be used as a development site and estimated (preliminary) costs of building a centre in Victoria.

15. Squamish Lil’wat Cultural CentreAtBC Program: Business Planning; Frontline Service Training

Strategy Alignment: Push for Market-Readiness; Focus on Authenticity & Quality Assurance

nature of Support: While SLCC has found great success as an award winning cultural centre, the Centre changed their business deliverables to include a full-scale venue operation including a new catering, food and beverage department to expand their wedding and corporate group business. This required extensive training for both front & back of house staff to provide service knowledge.

Outcome: SLCC had 33 employees participate in a training program designed on meeting the needs of building out their new catering department. The sessions were recorded so that the program can be utilized by new employees in the future.

16. Haida Fishing ChartersAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs


nature of Support: Haida Fishing Charters (HFC) was seeking expansion of their business to sell more packages to new clients in new markets – specifically engaging with outdoorsmen in the US and BC Ferries guests. Recognizing opportunities in new markets, and that mailing lists are of key importance to fishing charters, AtBC worked with HFC to select key tradeshows to connect with consumers. Additionally, AtBC worked with HFC to develop new marketing materials for promotion in these markets.

Outcome: HFC attended key consumer shows with great success. They now have a substantial mailing list that they are able to access for future promotion. Marketing collateral created will be utilized to promote HFC and their services in the upcoming season.


17. Wya Point ResortAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs


nature of Support: Wya Point Resort recognized the need to change their business model and expand marketing and PR initiatives to promote Wya Point in new and innovative ways to drive bookings and sales. In addition to developing materials to promote the Resort to media partners, Wya Point also developed event specific materials to grow group bookings and wedding packages to drive sales.

Outcome: Through media relations and marketing efforts, Wya Point hosted a group press trip and entered key marketplaces to secure valuable media exposure. Wya distributed materials at key trade shows and saw immediate results with articles by media and direct wedding bookings for the upcoming season.

18. Great River Fishing AdventuresAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs


nature of Support: Great River Fishing Adventures developed tradeshow specific materials and packages that would appeal to Christmas time buyers with the intent of increasing sales for the season. Show preparation included development of materials with package details and new branding to showcase their business. Additionally, the company developed extensive advertising that was shared throughout the show.

Outcome:Great River Fishing presented information about their packaging and show promotions – the attendance at the trade show was more than 100,000 people and materials developed sold many packages for the upcoming season.

19. Aboriginal Ecotourism Training ProgramAtBC Program: Introduction to Tourism Career Opportunities, Front Line Service Training, Cultural Interpretation Training

Strategy Alignment: Push for Market Readiness

nature of Support: AtBC supported a training program for a cohort of twelve Aboriginal youth from the BC Coast.

Outcome: In partnership with Vancouver Island University, North Island College and Heiltsuk Tribal Council, AtBC supported the Aboriginal Ecotourism Training program with twelve successful participants. This new delivery model introduced learners to the industry through internships and experiential learning and opportunities to better prepare them for employment in tourism. The program is designed to provide students with a full credit certificate from VIU in Adventure Tourism Recreation and 65% of credits required for NIC’s Adventure and Guiding Certificate. All of the courses provided allow transferable credits should the participant choose to continue on their education in a diploma or degree program. Training also included First Host certification, an AtBC recognized frontline training program.

AtBC has recognized a continued need to support growth of tourism in communities by community champions. The youth trained in the program now have the skills necessary to either return to their communities to support local Aboriginal tourism operations or support development of a community tourism project.


20.Cheryl’s Trading PostAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs


nature of Support: Cheryl’s Trading Post (CTP) had an online store, however its existing e-commerce system that was not user friendly and had limitations with search engine optimization. Additionally, CTP’s point of sale system was not integrated with it’s online inventory system causing issues with inventory management for staff. AtBC worked with CTP to find tools that most efficiently manage their online store and inventory systems. In an interest of creating more traffic to the website and to better their SEO, the project also included the integration of an online blog.

Outcome: CTP developed a new website with an online store and blog that met the management needs of inventory and sales. The ease of use was improved by making the website mobile responsive, therefore available on all devices. CTP was trained to upload and manage inventory from the website and were trained to process orders. CTP website is being monitored by AtBC and consultants to gather information about ease of use and best practices for new and existing AtBC Stakeholders in the future.

21. Spapium Little Prairie FarmAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs


nature of Support: AtBC reviewed market-ready criteria with Spapium Little Prairie Farm. As an almost market-ready Stakeholder, Spapium Little Prairie Farm needed website assistance to build their online presence as a sales tool for their produce from the farm as well as their cultural walking tours of the territory.

Outcome: By completing their website Spapium Little Prairie Farm has become a full marketing Stakeholder with AtBC. The website is a showcase of the various agri and cultural tourism offerings at the Farm.

22. Eagle Eye GiftsAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs


nature of Support: As a new business, Eagle Eye Gifts has actively worked towards meeting market-ready criteria to ensure promotion on AtBC’s website and general recognition of their product by other industry partners. This included assistance in developing a strategic plan for a responsive website design that would have ease of user experience and would be search engine optimized. This also included email marketing training and a plan to attract customers and gain awareness of the product through this marketing.

Outcome:Eagle Eye Gifts has an online presence and will be fully market-ready for the upcoming tourism season. This includes not only offering gifts to consumers but will also include workshops that can be packaged and sold to trade partners in coming years.


23. Musqueam Cultural CentreAtBC Program: Skills Development for Entrepreneurs

Strategy Alignment: Push for Market-Readiness; Focus on Online Marketing

nature of Support: The Musqueam Cultural Centre (MCC) offers guided cultural tours, conference rental space, museum with historical artifacts as well as a gift shop. In order to streamline these experiences, Musqueam needed to implement an inventory system, an online booking tool as well as an updated website to host these functions.

To make the gift shop more efficient a barcode and inventory system was implemented. All items were counted and entered into an online inventory system. Each item was named and described and a label was printed and attached. This will make the gift shop run more effectively, as well as keeping up with stock.

Due to the high number of requests for not only rental of space, but to experience the cultural tours offered, Musqueam also needed a streamlined booking system. Each experience was added, with a description and pricing and made live to the public. This system will take administrative pressure off the business.

Outcome: AtBC provided direct support to implement tools to provide a more streamlined experience for users and Musqueam staff. Website work has been completed however software for booking is being adapted to better suit the needs of the Centre. The new systems will allow MCC to better train new staff and will simplify operations for management including book keeping and management of bookings.

24. T’it’q’et – P’egp’ig7lha Youth ProjectAtBC Program: Business Planning; Feasibility Study; Skills Development for Entrepreneurs


nature of Support: Pegpighlha Youth Council is undertaking a pilot project to re-activate an existing Beachfront Grill and Canoe/Kayak Rental business at Seton Lake IR5, and to explore the potential to expand the business to include an Information Kiosk at Seton Lake Lookout. The grill and rental business was previously operated by an external concessionaire. T’it’q’et First Nation will reactivate the site and operate the business directly, both to create a youth entrepreneurship opportunity, and to integrate activities more closely with its broader tourism development plans for the larger portfolio of ‘Returned Lands’ at Seton Lake. As part of support for this project, AtBC worked with the youth council to develop a work plan for summer 2016.

Outcome: The youth council worked on a detailed workplan/business plan for the first season of operation. This season will be used as a ‘pilot project’ to confirm the viability of the two existing business activities, to test the success of the new business activity, and to provide real business data that can be used to develop a long-term comprehensive business plan for the next 5 years.

25. Huu-ay-aht First NationAtBC Program: Business Planning; Skills Development for Entrepreneurs; Frontline Training


nature of Support: Huu-ay-aht First Nation (HFN) acquired several tourism businesses in the fall of 2015 including accommodations, restaurants, a marina and an airport. AtBC visited HFN with key management and leadership to review each of the existing businesses and identify needs for development to meet market ready standards and to evaluate community capacity for managing their tourism portfolio.


Outcome:After reviewing market-ready criteria, Pachena Bay Campground became a market-ready Stakeholder with AtBC. AtBC is committed to assisting in the re-development of the tourism businesses with HFN including a branding strategy, website development and the development with training program to build overall capacity in the community to meet the employment needs of the businesses. HFN will operate without many changes for the 2016 season and will evaluate performance of each of the businesses and make recommendations for training and change for the 2017 season in the fall.

Identify and Assess Business OpportunitiesKPI: 25 Stakeholders Completed: 25+

AtBC completed business assessment at Aboriginal Business Match on Vancouver Island and Aboriginal Business Match West with full appointment schedules at each event. This allowed for assessment of business opportunities with more than 60 First Nations communities and Aboriginal entrepreneurs.

Host Community Forums & MeetingsKPI: 10 Forums/Meetings Completed: 10

AtBC visited several communities across the Province this year, meeting with leadership, key decision makers, tourism champions and entrepreneurs to discuss opportunities in Aboriginal tourism for communities and individuals. Some highlights of this year:

1. Nisga’a Lisims GovernmentCompleted site visits with each of the Village governments and presented AtBC materials and programs to assist operational/visitor ready businesses in becoming market ready.

2. Huu-ay-aht Community PlanningCompleted site visit and met with leadership and Government management to bring newly acquired tourism businesses from visitor-ready to market-ready in the coming years.

3. Council of the Haida NationAtBC hosted a tourism forum in partnership with the Council of the Haida Nation Tourism Committee to meet with AtBC Stakeholders. Topics included AtBC market-ready criteria, AtBC Training & Development programs and a focussed discussion about the opportunities and challenges for the growth of Aboriginal tourism on Haida Gwaii.

4. McLeod Lake Indian BandVisited McLeod Lake Indian Band community day and gathered information from community members about tourism development ideas and how the community could become involved in tourism in the future. Information was recorded and returned to band management for consideration.


5. Ditidaht First NationCompleted a community tour with community management to visit existing tourism assets and areas that are being considered for tourism development in the future.

6. Burns Lake (Tsi’yanne Cultural Society working group)Met with the Tsi’yanne Cultural Society working group in Burns Lake to discuss opportunities in Aboriginal tourism and participated in initial SWOT analysis discussions

7. Tsilhqot’in National GovernmentMet with management at the Tsilhqot’in National Government to discuss opportunities to integrate Aboriginal tourism into their overall land use strategies following their precedent setting legal case for assertion of title.

8. Nooaitch First NationAtBC attended Nooaitch First Nation’s community day to meet local community members and discuss opportunities in Aboriginal tourism. AtBC gathered information from community members and reported this back to management for consideration.

9. Stolo Entrepreneur ForumIn partnership with Stolo Community Futures and Aboriginal Best, AtBC presented in Kwantlen territory to local entrepreneurs about the opportunities in Aboriginal Tourism and how AtBC could assist entrepreneurs through their business planning process.

10. Community to Community Forum – OsoyoosAtBC presented in partnership with the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) at the community to community forum in Osoyoos. This meeting included leadership from across First Nations and non-First Nations communities about the value of tourism for the region and how Aboriginal tourism presents a unique value-add to visitors itineraries.

TrAInIng & PrODuCT DevelOPMenT Key Performance Indicators

Activity KPI Target KPI Achieved

Push for Market-Readiness (Tier 2 to Tier 3) 25 Stakeholders 25

Identify & Assess Tier 2 Businesses 25 Stakeholders 25

Engage with Communities through Regional Strategy process 76 Communities 76

Host Community Forums & Meetings (Tier 1) 10 Forums/Meetings 10


MarketingAtBC’s marketing strategies are dedicated to raising awareness of the diverse and enriching Aboriginal tourism experiences available in British Columbia. AtBC communicates directly to consumers, travel trade and travel media in key and emerging markets – creating interest in Aboriginal tourism and driving business directly to AtBC’s Marketing Stakeholders.

The key marketing priorities for 2015 / 16 included:

• Content Marketing

• Aboriginal Travel Services

• Travel Trade

• Travel Media

• BC Visitor Centre Initiatives

• Partnerships

• Increase Export-ready Experiences in BC / Stakeholder Engagement

Consumer and Online MarketingThrough integration of online marketing, web, social media, advertising, print materials and contests, AtBC’s consumer marketing tactics drive awareness of Aboriginal tourism in BC and consumer direct bookings for AtBC’s Marketing Stakeholders.

• For consumer direct engagement, AtBC specifically targeted the Cultural Explorers and Authentic Experiencers in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Washington State.

• AtBC launched a new theme on May 1, 2015. In keeping with the concept of inviting people to add Aboriginal tourism experiences to their British Columbia travel, AtBC’s campaign placed common arts and culture calls to action alongside imagery of unique Aboriginal cultural travel experiences. The campaign also allowed AtBC to target certain interest levels in a more targeted fashion.

• AtBC’s consumer website was updated with the look of the new campaign theme. The website update also included specific usability improvements and other enhancements to bring the overall user experience in line with current best practices.

• AtBC developed and provided engaging content that enticed the target audience to connect with AtBC’s social media channels, blog and e-newsletters. The theme ‘meet a local legend’ was used to showcase the different attributes of Aboriginal culture in the form of short videos. Each legend was nominated by a Stakeholder.

• Packaged and promoted AtBC’s export-ready Stakeholders on the consumer website and Aboriginal Travel Services.

• AtBC partnered with National Geographic to help build the consumer database and engage a passionate audience of travellers with the Aboriginal tourism topic. The components included a ‘meet a local legend’ sweepstake, ‘I heart my Island’ custom editorial, social promotion, editorial promotion on NationalGeographic.com and an AtBC brand ad campaign. The ad campaign and sweepstake ran from May 1 to July 31, 2015.


• In an effort to increase email subscriber and database contacts, AtBC developed and executed several contests with the following partners: Toque and Canoe, VanCity / Tyee and CTV. The CTV campaign included a microsite promoting the Aboriginal tourism experiences across BC. In addition, the contest highlighted an Aboriginal-themed package specifically for the Okanagan region.

• Participated in the GoVancouverIsland Campaign from April 13 to May 17, 2015 promoting Vancouver Island Stakeholders and the Aboriginal Cultural Festival. Campaign included a TV spot on KOMO 4/ABC and ThisTV Air in Washington State, and Global in Alberta. The campaign buy also included an AtBC feature on GoVancouverIsland.com.

• Developed a Visitor Centre program providing tools and information to front-line staff to effectively engage with travellers on Aboriginal tourism experiences in the respective regions. During the execution of the program, AtBC hosted three live webinars to a total of 33 Visitor Centres, and followed-up with hands-on learning tools in the form of flatsheets and videos.

• AtBC produced and distributed 60,000 brochures highlighting all of AtBC’s market-ready Stakeholders. These brochures were distributed to Visitor Centres, BC Ferries, Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria, AtBC’s Stakeholders, Tour Operators and other events.

HIgHlIgHTS / reSulTS

• Developed and executed a new creative theme in a variety of channels

• Achieved 88,120 website sessions an increase of 48% over last year

• Hosted 11 Facebook (FB) contests promoting several Stakeholders, as well as #AboriginalBC which reached over 335,000 Facebook users and generated an audience engagement of more than 29,000 likes, shares or comments

• Published 14 blogs, generating 11,312 page views on AboriginalBC.com

• Produced a total of 324 FB posts which generated an audience engagement of 66,327 likes, shares or comments

• Generated a total of 18,000 video views on YouTube and Facebook ‘30 second views’

• Sold 39 Aboriginal-themed packages via the Aboriginal Travel Services team

• National Geographic Campaign results include 14,577 unique sweepstake entries, 5,348 database names, 7 million + brand impressions, 3,000 unique visitors to the I Heart Haida Gwaii page, 1,600 FB likes and 53 retweets

• CTV campaign results include 2,097 unique sweepstake entries, 1,117 database names, 444,611 impressions, 3,861 click-thrus

• Generated 9,262 qualified email subscribers through the various initiatives reaching out to a qualified target audience

• Expanded images and video assets for AtBC’s content marketing, as well as Stakeholder and media use.


Travel Trade SummaryAtBC promotes Aboriginal tourism and AtBC’s export-ready Stakeholders to receptive tour operators, tour operators, travel agencies and other third party sales channels with the goal to grow Aboriginal experience inclusions in travellers’ itineraries and packages. AtBC also works with its partners in the overseas markets to place content in relevant tour operators’ publications.

• AtBC’s key destination markets in 2015 / 16 include Canada, Germany, China, United States, United Kingdom and Australia. AtBC also invested sales efforts into Japan to specifically address the growing student groups out of this market which represent potential opportunities for many of the AtBC Marketing Stakeholders.

• Continued to develop suggested packages and itineraries and showcased the potential inclusions of the Aboriginal tourism experiences during travel tradeshow and networking events.

• Developed specific flatsheets in Chinese and Japanese. In addition AtBC produced a flatsheet for the many fishing experiences that are part of AtBC.

• In cooperation with our Stakeholders and Destination BC, the following tour operators were hosted on familiarization tours:

> Dertour and Meiers (Germany) – VCM

> Entrée Canada (Canada, USA) – VCM, NBC, VI

> Discover Holidays (Canada, USA, Europe, Asia Pacific) – VCM, NBC, VI

> Audrey Travel (UK) - NBC

> BC Ferries Vacations (Canada) – VCM, VI, NBC

> Mazda Travel (India Market) – TOTA

> Adventure Management (China) – VCM

> YouTrip – Kootenays

• AtBC continued to promote export-ready Stakeholders to receptive tour operators and tour operators during familiarization tours and sales missions, as well as at tradeshows and networking events.

> Rendez-vous Canada in May, 2015 – met with 75 tour operators and receptive tour operators

> Discover BC Event in August, 2015 – presented to 100 tour operators and industry partners

> JACATA Working Committee School Groups - hosted managers and owners of Japanese RTOs at the AtBC office

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• Supported a total of eight familiarization tours with international tour operators and receptive tour operators

• Participated in three trade events which generated 185 leads

• The two Aboriginal-themed videos produced for the Chinese market reached close to 3.3 million viewers on Destination Canada’s online video programming – CTCTV / Zhou You Jia Na Da

• Developed three campaigns in Germany with major tour operators

• Developed and strengthened partnerships with receptive tour operators thus increasing product inclusions for 2016

Haida gwaii FAM - July 2015

“ This has truly been an epic, amazing and absolutely breathtaking trip, with so many gorgeous days filled with experiences, sightseeing, adventure, lots of laughter and friendship. I would like to sincerely thank our all our new friends on Haida Gwaii and Prince Rupert as well as especially Dana and Jill who have worked long and hard to make this trip happen. The past 6 days have certainly exceeded my expectations and you have now a new “ambassador” for your region and products in Germany.”

Martin Walter Destination BC - Germany

Cultural tour with Haida-Style Expeditions, Haida Gwaii BC

• Developed co-op marketing with key travel trade accounts, Destination BC and Destination Canada

> Developed German micro-site in partnership with Canusa to place terms for Aboriginal tourism experiences in the marketplace while at the same time promoting specific experiences

> Worked with SK Touristik in Germany on a full-page content placement in their magazine

> Partnered with DERTOUR in Germany on a full-page content placement in their magazine

> Partnered with Destination BC and Destination Canada and participated in two video productions with Godfrey Gao which supported the content marketing strategy of DBC and DC in China. The videos showcased a multitude of Stakeholders, as well as highlighted what Aboriginal cultural tourism experiences are.

> Placed full-page ads in Jonview, Discover Holidays and Globe-Trotter Tours Canada

> Collaborated with Destination BC on Destination Canada’s new content marketing program for the German market. The collaboration included working with influencers and tour operators to incorporate Aboriginal content in BC.

Travel Media Summary

AtBC works to inspire and educate travellers by bringing Aboriginal tourism experiences to life through content and story ideas in key outlets including print, broadcast and digital distributions. AtBC develops key relationships with media to positively influence coverage from both domestic and international media, which increases awareness of Aboriginal tourism and individual Marketing Stakeholders.

• Worked with A-level, top-tier media and confirmed visits and story placements, while incorporating freelancers and editors from print (magazines and newspapers) in key markets, and broadcast coverage (TV and radio). The goal was to highlight the many Aboriginal tourism experiences in BC, as well as the important economic role Aboriginal tourism plays in British Columbia.

> Secured / hosted 60 media visits; some of the notable fams include the following outlets: GeoSaison Germany, Metro Vancouver Magazine, MacLean’s Magazine (Canada), Georgia Straight, Pique Newspaper, Brides Magazine, Western Canada Guidebook, Moon Publications (SFO), CBC Radio - All Points West (Victoria), Victoria Times Colonist, Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, Central City Foundation, CBC Radio, Toque & Canoe, WestJet Magazine, Rough Guide to Canada UK, Conde Nast Traveller China, Arte TV Germany, UK Youuber, Guardian Newspaper, and others.

> 137 stories / mentions were featured in International publications such as Seattle Times, Fox TV, Forbes Asia, Matador Network, FVW Travel, Rough Guide to Canada, Be here, Travel Squire, Yahoo News and more.

> 242 stories / mentions were published in Canada including CBC News, CBC Radio, Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald, Victoria Times Colonist, CTV, WestJet Magazine, Business in Vancouver, Georgia Straight, and more.

> The Amazing Race Canada episodes shown on CTV and affiliates in Canada, were also picked up widely in the USA on National broadcast channels such as CBS and Fox TV, as well as smaller channels and online video streaming. The episodes included the Nk’Mip Cultural Centre in Osoyoos and the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler.

> Strengthened partnership with award-winning Toque and Canoe – an online magazine / blog about Canadian travel culture. The publication’s Editor in Chief produced content, social media coverage and a contest at arms-length collaboration with AtBC.

> AtBC collaborated with Destination BC and Tourism Vancouver to get Aboriginal content as part of the FOXTV (Sport) FIFA Women’s World Cup coverage. AtBC worked with the set designer, producer and Bill Reid Art Gallery and Skwachays Lodge & Free Trade Gallery to showcase local and regional artists’ work on the sets with on-air mentions and daily visuals during broadcast. AtBC also worked with the Musqueam Cultural Centre to have their dance group perform an opening welcoming at the Jack Poole Plaza to kick off the inaugural live broadcast from Vancouver.

• The AtBC team engaged media for stories during the Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria in June 2015. The celebration of Aboriginal culture was covered by local and regional media outlets. The festival coincided with National Aboriginal Day, providing an excellent opportunity for media to report on the success of the event. Total ad equivalency earned from the festival coverage was $20,102.

• Continued to maximize relationships with DBC and Destination Canada on joint media initiatives and media familiarization tours

• Participated in Canada Media Marketplace in New York (May 2015) and GoMedia Canada Marketplace in Penticton (September 2015) – met with over 77 media outlets during these two shows




• Hosted 60 media on familiarization tours

• Generated 379 stories / mentions in domestic and international publications equating to 122,085,459 impressions with an ad value of $687,918

• Participated in two media shows generating over 77 leads

• The partnership with Toque and Canoe produced three stories with significant social media engagement on their Facebook and Twitter channels, as well as their partners’. All three stories and mentions of our Stakeholders were featured on ToqueandCanoe.com, CBC Radio and TravelSquire.com. The story ‘Tasting Turtle Island - Aboriginal cuisine goes mainstream’ was listed as a finalist in the culinary travel journalism category at GoMedia held in Penticton in September 2015.

AtBC booth at PAITC Vancouver BC

ABOrIgInAl TrAvel ServICeS Key Performance Indicators


Sales volume 1.2M 1.3M

Meeting/conferences 25 28

Supplier agreements 18 21

ATS generated net revenue 90,000 96,000

Aboriginal Scholarship awards 4 2


Aboriginal Travel ServicesThe travel agency division of AtBC was developed as a social enterprise and operates as a full service agency providing a variety of corporate and leisure travel services. In addition, the packaging of authentic Aboriginal experiences for inbound travelers. There is continued growth of inquiries and actual package sales of the experience offerings being marketed by Aboriginal Tourism BC.

Now in its second year of operation, Aboriginal Travel Services continues to establish a strong rapport with a number of airline, hotel and ancillary industry partners which enables optimum value for our clients. This includes meeting and conference related business for a variety of clients and exclusive negotiated hotel rates at a number of properties in Canada.

ATS has been successful in securing corporate commitments for IT and group travel from companies that have procurement policy guidelines that align with our sustainable business practices and social enterprise engagement strategies.

This year’s accomplishments, including growing website visitations, reflects a growing commitment from companies and organizations that recognize the economic and social value of doing business with ATS. The agency continues to receive a great deal of exposure and revenue opportunities from customer referrals and those companies that are registered delegates of conferences that ATS has been the designated agency of record. Some highlights include servicing hundreds of delegates participating in the joint governmental agency’s Missing Women’s Family Gathering in Prince George, and embarking on conference bookings for the First Nations Health Authority.

As a result of this continued growth, ATS presented its first two scholarships for First Nations students enrolled in tourism & hospitality programs.

Wya Point Resort Resort, Ucluelet, BC

Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa, Osoyoos, BC


Partnerships and OutreachAtBC continues to develop partnerships and collaborate with industry partners to leverage product development, training and marketing efforts to strengthen the Aboriginal tourism industry in British Columbia.

Pacific Asia Indigenous Tourism ConferenceAtBC with the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA) hosted more than 130 delegates from around the world at the Pacific Asia Indigenous Tourism & Trade Conference (PAITC) in Vancouver.

This world class cultural event was generously supported through financial contributions from our partners Destination Canada, Destination BC, VanCity and Maori Tourism. Further support was obtained through collaborative efforts with WINTA, and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). Tartan Group provided an unprecedented contribution of time by generating messaging and media stories.

The three-day conference brought together Indigenous communities, government and industry partners, media and noteworthy academics, such as National Geographic’s Explorer in Residence, Wade Davis, and media to share cultural presentations and candid dialogue. Delegates were also invited to partake in Aboriginal Cultural experiences and tours throughout Coast Salish Territory.

PAITC focussed on the international opportunities for engagement and sharing by all peoples who have an interest in promoting and celebrating achievements in fostering Indigenous self-determination through participation in tourism.

“ Real tourism is when aboriginal societies on their own terms can share their visions of life in a profound way that gives the visitor a true sense of authenticity, such that a visitor goes away as an avatar of the wonder of culture”

Wade Davis, Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society


• Ten countries from six continents were represented, and presentations from more than 30 tourism and travel experts covered key industry topics such as travel trade outreach, media relations and authentic cultural tourism.

• Media stories generated publication through 78 outlets encompassing 3,809,541 readers.

( A full report about the conference can be found on AtBC’s corporate site: www.aboriginalbc.com/corporate/news)

“ As elected leadership within Heiltsuk and Nuxalk, we recognize the importance of partnerships in building the potential of Aboriginal Tourism.”

Chief Wally Webber Nuxalk Nation


Pacific Asia Indigenous Tourism Conference 2015,

Vancouver BC

Key Partnership EventsOngoing involvement in AtBC partners conferences and key events took place:

• TIABC – 2015 AGM & Summit, May 2015, Richmond BC

• Eurofest, May, 2015, Burnaby, BC

• Heiltsuk Economic Development Conference, July, 2015, Bella Bella, BC

• ATMEX Conference, Chiapas, Mexico, August 2015

• Pacific Asia Indigenous Tourism Conference, September, 2015, Vancouver, BC

• TIAC – 2015 AGM & Summit, December 2015, Ottawa, ON

• British Columbia Economic Growth Roundtable, January 2016, Ottawa, ON

• Report on BC Ferries service reduction on Central Coast & North Island Tourism, February 2016

PerTnerS AnD OuTreACH Key Performance Indicators


Stakeholder Benefits Guide 1,000 distributed 1,000

Identify Stakeholders to reach Export-Ready standards 10 Stakeholders 11

Explorer Quotient training sessions 30 Delayed to 2016/17

Gateway Strategy This strategy involves promoting Aboriginal cultural tourism in key locations and at key events, accessing large, more targeted audiences for maximum positive impact and exposure for AtBC Stakeholders. AtBC made the decision to shift away from having a fixed asset, Klahowya Village in Stanley Park, to a more static mobile presentation, to inspire more travelers to consider adding an authentic Aboriginal experience to their travel plans throughout BC.

Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria In the Victoria Gateway, Songhees and Esquimalt territory, AtBC activated the grounds of the Royal BC Museum with a highly visible, colourful presentation of Aboriginal culture, including entertainment, cuisine, arts and crafts. Taking place over the weekend of National Aboriginal Day (June 21) in one of the most heavily visited tourism locations in the Province, thousands of visitors immediately engaged in celebrating and learning about this special event for BC First Nations.

The 2015 festival gave performing and visual artists from over 20 different Nations, the opportunity to showcase to a world audience.

Generous partnership contributions of funds, staff expertise and time were supplied by the host nations, local businesses and organizations, including Tourism Victoria, Butchart Gardens, Township of Esquimalt, Victoria Clipper Ferry, Greater Victoria Harbour Authority to name a few. A collaborative effort with the host nations, and a multitude of partners has contributed greatly to the success of the festival.


Aboriginal Cultural Festival, Victoria BC


• Over $20,000 of Media coverage with a circulation over 600,000

• 30 Cultural performances and interpretive tours over 3 days

• Attendance over 30,0000 (up 18,000 from previous year)

• Facebook event reached over 127,000 users in May and June

• Twitter #YYJAboriginalFest generated more than 1.8 million impressions

• 1,500 people visited AtBC Information Booth at the site

• Website traffic to AtBC’s site increased by 89% during the festival

• Media stories generated publication through 78 outlets encompassing 3,809,541 readers.

(A full report about the Aboriginal Cultural Festival 2015, can be found on AtBC’s corporate site: www.aboriginalbc.com/corporate/info/operational-plans-and-reports)


Authenticity ProgramsThe Authentic Indigenous Arts Program (AIAP) has implemented a system to clearly identify authentic Indigenous art and protection of the Indigenous art and crafts. The program was designed to influence consumers, travellers and resellers to seek out and purchase authentic Indigenous products while visiting British Columbia.

Authentic Indigenous Arts Classifications:Tier 1: Original Artworks - Products are designed, produced and distributed by an Indigenous person(s) or business.

Tier 2: Indigenous Art reproductions for Distribution - Products are designed by an Indigenous person(s), produced elsewhere and distributed by an Indigenous person or business.

Tier 3: non-Indigenous Art reproductions for Distribution - Non-Indigenous Art Reproductions for Distribution - Indigenous Designed Products are produced and distributed by a non-Indigenous person/business. Minimum royalty standards are required to be met by producers and an Authentic Indigenous Arts declaration is signed for each artist who’s designs are being displayed on various products for commercial purposes. These items range from T-shirts to mugs, blankets to calendars.

Program Objectives1. Develop the Artist Capacity

> Authentic Indigenous.com Website for online presence

> Business Development Workshops – Artist Portfolio, artist statement and biography and Online digital presence, business cards

> Legal steps to protect artworks when reproducing

> One on One Support

2. Partnerships with the Distribution Channels – Retail and Wholesale

> Galleries

> Suppliers – for example, the distributer; Native NorthWest, providing royalties to artists

3. Education and Promotion of Supporting and Purchasing Indigenous Arts

> Education of consumers, Producers, Industry and Government

> Marketing and Media Stories

To date 200 Artists have registered with AIAP, and are listed on AuthenticIndigenous.com

AuTHenTICITy PrOgrAMS Key Performance Indicators


Artisans joined program 50 75 plus

Sellers / Galleries joined program Included in above 10 plus

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